Sawmill equipment



Dec. 12, 1939. J. A. WEBER SAWMILL EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR. John A. Weber 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. A. WE-BER INVENTOR. John A. Weber AT EY- SAWMILL EQUIPMENT Fild Oct. 17, 1938 Dec. 12, 1939.

Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED SAWMILL EQUIPMENT John A. Weber, Portland, Oreg'. Application October 17,1938, Serial No. 235,360

4 Claims. (01-. 143-92 My device relates to improvements in devices to be placed on saw mill carriages to be used for the turning of the log and the moving of the log transversely of the carriage.

The primary purpose and object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed device that is inexpensive to manufacture, one that can be placed upon the conventional saw mill carriage Without making fundamental changes in the car" riage, and one that can be operated without any special training or instruction in its use, and one that will have a long and useful life.

A further object of my invention consists in placing in a single device one that will turn the log and one that will move the log transversely of the carriage.

A still further object of the invention consists in so constructing the device and the associated elements connected therewith that in its normal 1 operation it will raise in its forward movement above the normal surface of the carriage and in its return will fall below the normal top surface of the carriage.

A still further object of the device consists in constructing the same of parts. that do not require the use of chains and other conventional materials now generally used in log turners and log transfers. 7

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forthin the appended claims, and a preferred form of em-' bodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings: I

Fig. I is a partial plan view of a saw mill carriage illustrating my new and improved devices placed thereupon.

Fig. II is a sectional side view of the device shown in place and in full forward position.

Fig. III is a fragmentary sectional side view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. II. The mechanism illustrated in Fig. III is shown in full raised position. In this view the turning and transfer device is shown being raised above the normal top surface of the platform of the saw mill carriage. v

Fig. IV is a fragmentary, partially sectional side view of the front end of the turning device.

I In this view the device is shown in full retracted or in full return position, and with the device shown lowered below the normal surface of the saw mill carriage platform.

' Fig. V- is a fragmentary sectional end view of the spindle for positioning the roller that is used in raising and lowering the transfer and turning end of the device.

Fig. VI is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. II.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

I provide a shaft i longitudinally of the saw mill carriage and place it in position where power can be applied to the same in the usual manner. The power for driving the shaft l is not here shown as it may be operated by steam, air, or by electricity and so no claim is made for the mode for rotating the shaft 5.

I may provide a gear 2 upon the shaft Which may be driven by a coacting gear or the same may be driven by a chain. I place a supporting block 3 upon any one of the longitudinal beams i of the carriage. I also provide a stirrup 5 upon one of the beams 8' of the carriage and the respective blocks 3 and stirrup 5 are placed below the normal top surface of the carriage platform.

The guide block 3 has an open slot disposed thereinto permit a reciprocation of the log and cant shifter 17 therein. The block 3 has inwardly extending lips I; and 9 adjacent its top edge and against which the respective sides in and ii of the shifter I normally engage.

The shifter 1 has ribs i3 andit outwardly extending from each of its sides and these ribs engage the under side of the respective lips 8 and 9 and limit the upward freedom of movement of the shifter l. The shifter i has a recess l5 disposed in its forward end and a roller i6 is disposed within the recess, the length of the roller being less than the width of the recess in order to permit a freedom of movement of the roller within the recess.

The under side of the block 3 has a base connecting the respective sides and the top side of the base is comprised of inclined surfaces H and i8 over which the roller l6 rides. The respective inclined surfaces ll and i8 connect to form an apex l9.

In the forward movement of the shifter I the roller l6 rides the inclined surface I! and the rearward movement of the roller within the recess I1 is prevented by placing a stop 2% within the recess and against which the roller rests on the rearward movement of the shifter 6 after the roller passes over the apex 89.

An adjustment of the freedom of movement of the roller in its forward movement is obtained through the use of an adjustable set screw 2|.

The adjustable set screw 2| is threaded into the cross base of the lock 3 and a lock nut 22 locks the set screw in precise adjusted placement.

A positioning and bearing roller 23 runs transversely of the recess I5 and in the forward movement of the shifter I and after the roller I6 passes over the apex I9 of the respective surfaces the same rolls down the inclined surfaces I8 and comes to rest against the inner end of the set screw 2| and simultaneously therewith engages the under side of the positioning bearing roller 23.

In this position the roller I6 is shown in Fig. II. On the rearward movement of the shifter I the positioning bearing roller 23 rides the top of the roller I6 and causes the same to roll up the inclined surface I8 and to simultaneously raise the forward end of the shifter 1. Any log or cant disposed upon the carriage 24 is engaged upon its underside by the ruffled corrugated surface 25 of the shifter and the same is raised and in being raised is also simultaneously transferred transversely of the carriage 24. This continues in the rearward travel of the shifter 1 until the roller I6 reaches the apex I9 of the respective inclined surfaces I1 and I8 and in this position the roller I6 is shown in Fig. III.

At this point the shifter reaches its maximum upward travel and the roller I6 then engages the inclined surface I1 and the further rearward movement of the shifter lowers as the roller I6 moves down the inclined surface I1.

When the roller I6 engages the horizontal surface 26 the position bearing roller 23 is disengaged from the roller I6 and the further travel of the roller I6 is prevented by the same engaging the stop 20. In the forward movement of the shifter I the shifter moves in a horizontal position until the roller I8 is forced over the inclined surface I! and it rolls through the action of gravity to engagement with the set screw 2I at which time the operation may be repeated.

A pitman 21 is secured to the rear end of the shifter I. The shaft I is preferably driven clockwise as illustrated by the arrow in Fig. II and a gear segment 28 is disposed within the pitman head 29 and the gear segment 28 is mounted upon the shaft I.

An intermittent cage gear rack 31! and 3I is disposed within the pitman head 29 and the gear segment 28 alternately engages the respective rack gear segment and 3| and coacts with the teeth disposed therein to impart a reciproeating movement to the gear segment to the pitman 21 and to the shifter I.

The pitman 21 is threadably secured to the head 9 and is locked in adjusted placement by the lock nut 32. A plurality of holes here shown as three in number at 33, 34 and 35 are disposed Within the rear end of the shifter I, and any suitable wrist pin 36 passes through the head 3'! disposed upon the forward end of the pitman 21 and through any one of the holes 33, 34, or 35 to position the pitman in desired placement relative to that on the shifter I.

The wrist pin 36 is located in place by a looking pin 38 which may be of the cotter or other Suitable design. The head 31 is bifurcated to engage the opposite sides of the rear end of the shifter I. A skirt 39 disposed within the recess I5 prevents the roller I6 from being prematurely dislodged from the recess I5 and also prevents bark chips and other foreign matter unduly entering the recess I5.

The shaft I may be power actuated by a beveled gear 40 as illustrated in Fig. I. The beveled ear 40 coacts with and is driven by a beveled gear 4|. The beveled gear M is mounted upon the friction driven shaft 42 and a direct and reverse drive is imparted to the shaft I by the shift lever 43 having foot pedals 44 and 45 disposed upon its opposite ends.

A link 46 connects the foot lever 43 with a clutch arm 47. No claim is made for the mechanism illustrated in Fig. I excepting to show an actuating means for driving the shaft I.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination with a sawmill carriage having means associated upon the carriage for imparting rotary motion both clockwise and counter-clockwise, comprised of a shaft, means for driving the shaft in alternating directions, a supporting block mounted upon one of the beams of the carriage, a shifter reciprocably disposed within the supporting block, means for reciprocating the shifter, a recess disposed within the forward end of the shifter, a positioning and bearing roller secured to the opposite sides of the walls of the recess and extending across the recess, a stop plate disposed within the recess extending thereacross and disposed in spaced relation with the positioning and bearing roller, a pair of inclined surfaces forming the top side of the base of the supporting block, a roller normally resting upon one of the inclined surfaces of the supporting block and normally engaging the underside of the positioning and bearing roller, and adapted for raising the shifter when engaging one of the inclined surfaces, and for lowering the shifter when engaging the other one of the inclined surfaces when the shifter is being moved in one direction, and for rolling free within the recess disposed within the shifter when the shifter is being moved in the opposite direction to thereby gradually raise and lower the shifter when the shifter is being moved in one position, and to permit the shifter to be moved in a straight line when being moved in the opposite position.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a power driven shaft, instrumentalities for driving the shaft clockwise and counter-clockwise, a gear segment mounted upon the shaft, a pitman head passing about the power shaft and the gear segment, an intermittent cage gear rack disposed within the pitman head and adapted for engagement and for coaction with the gear segment so that reciprocation will be imparted to the pitman head when the power shaft is rotated, a shifter disposed in registry alignment with the pitman head, a pitman rod connecting the pitman head with the shifter, means for adjustably effecting spaced relationship between the pitman head and the shifter, the top side of the forward end of the shifter being corrugated, a yoke and a supporting block for confining the movement of the shifter to a predetermined path of travel, inclined surfaces forming the top side of the base of the supporting block, a roller disposed transversely of and within one end of the shifter, and the roller being positioned to roll over the inclined surfaces of the block within the same end of the shifter to alternately raise and lower the shifter when reciprocation is imparted thereto.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a shifter, means for mounting the shifter upon a sawmill carriage so that a longitudinal movement of the shifter will be confined within a predetermined path, means for imparting longitudinal movement to the shifter, a supa pitman rod adjustably disposed therebetween to predetermine the spaced relation between the pitman head and the shifter, an intermittent porting block mounting and supporting one end of the shifter, said supporting block having a pair of inclined surfaces forming the top sideof the base of the block, a roller disposed transversely of the end of the shifter being reciprocated within the supporting block, with said roller adapted for movement over the inclinedsurfaces of the top side of the base of the supporting block,- and means located within the front end of the shifter for causing the shifter to raise during a part of its travel and mice lowered during its travel in the other direction, means for 0011- j cage gear rack disposed within the pitman head, a spur gear segment, said spur segmentc'ooperating with the intermittent cage gear rack, and

said shifter having a corrugated top surface and being recessed at its free end, a skirt secured to theunderside of the top of the shifter adjacent the front end of the recess and downwardly extending therefrom, a positioning and bearing roller disposed transversely of the shifter and a stop disposed transversely of the recess disposed within the same and secured to the side wallsvof the recess, said stop being disposed in spaced relationwith the positioning and bearing roller and rearwardly thereof.

JOHN A. WEBER. 

